She looked at her mother again. A wicked, up-to-no-good smile spread across her face. “My mom’s pretty isn’t she?”
Hannah gasped, shocked her daughter said such a thing.
“Yes she is.” Boomer could tell the girl was up to something. “She’s very pretty.”
“She’s a nice person too. You aren’t married are you? Do you have a girlfriend?”
Hannah reached out and placed her hands over Raya’s, halting the questions.
Boomer chuckled. “Your mother seems to be a very nice person. No, I’m not married and I don’t have a girlfriend.”
She pulled her hands free of her mother’s grip. “She doesn’t either.”
“That’s enough, Raya.” Hannah signed then spoke to Boomer. “I’m sorry Ben. She’s never done anything like this before.”
“Don’t be angry with her. I like people who speak their mind. Saves a lot of hassle and misunderstanding.”
Raya frowned at them as they spoke without signing. “If you stuck around,” she interjected with large hand movements, “you two could get to know each other better.”
Hannah began to grab for her daughter’s hands again but Boomer stopped her. “It’s okay. I’ll handle this.” He spoke then began signing to Raya. “I’d like to get to know your mother better. In fact I was hoping when I get out of here I could take you two for dinner somewhere nice and get to know both of you better. Do you think she’d go for that?”
Her smile exploded onto her face. A million-watt beam that lit up the room. Words weren’t needed. The expression was enough for Boomer to know he had her approval. Now he needed to get Hannah’s.
“What do you say Hannah?”
“Are you asking us out on a date?” she whispered.
That look of surprise was back, bigger and better this time. He balled his hands into fists to keep from reaching out and rubbing the pad of his thumb across her magnificent lips. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. Now you have to tell me yes or no.”
He marveled at the flurry of emotions that swept across her face. At first she looked pleased, then excited and then scared. He thought he’d lost her when the scared look turned into a defiant, stubborn nonverbal no. When she opened her mouth he braced himself for the rejection.
“Yes. The answer is yes, we’d love to have dinner with you.”
“Yes?”
“Yes, Ben.”
Boomer looked at Raya. “She said yes,” he signed feeling like a teenager ready for his first date. His stomach and heart fluttered so fast he could barely catch his breath.
“Okay then. You pick the place since you know the area and as soon as they sign me out we have a date.”
“I think I know the perfect place,” Hannah told him smiling and wringing her hands nervously.
Raya gave her mother a big hug and then kissed Boomer on the cheek. Hannah’s smile faded causing Boomer’s fluttering insides to stutter to a halt.
“Don’t get too excited, honey. He’ll have to go home after.”
“Maybe,” Raya signed.
“I’ll have a few days to recover, I can spend them here.” He told himself it was a logical decision. He couldn’t do anything back at W&S anyway, except sit at a desk. Why not take a few days and spend them here with these two beautiful ladies?
“One step at a time, Ben,” Hannah spoke quietly.
There was something new in her eyes. It wasn’t fear or regret for saying yes. He couldn’t put his finger on it. Her blue eyes held a hint of sadness as a shadow seemed to pass over them.
“What is it, Hannah? Have you changed your mind?” he asked.
“No. I just don’t want her hoping for something that won’t happen that’s all. I don’t like to see her disappointed.”
Boomer nodded his head, he understood that. “What about you? Do you want something to happen?”
“I can’t say either way. I don’t know you well enough. I’ve learned from experience people aren’t always what they seem on the outside. I promised myself to get to know a person deep down before I…”
When she trailed off and stopped talking he understood. She’d been severely hurt. Most likely by Raya’s father and now that there were two of them she guarded her heart like a fortress. It was going to take a strong, determined solider to break through the thick, heavy gate she erected to protect herself.
“No fast moves, I promise,” he told her as he reached out and took her trembling hand. “Dinner, maybe a walk and some conversation that’s all I’m asking for.”
“That I can do,” she said with a smile.
“Good.” Not wanting to make her uncomfortable with anymore talk about dating he reached out with his arm and dragged Raya next to the bed. When she stopped squirming and giggling he began signing to her. “Tell me about school. Do you get good grades?”
“I get As and Bs,” she told him. “But school is boring.”
“Boring?”
“Yes.” Her little fist nodded up and down along with her head.
“She’s not challenged enough,” Hannah spoke without signing. “I’m constantly looking for a way to make her lessons more challenging.”
“Have you told your teachers you’re bored?” he asked the little girl.
“Yes but they don’t listen. They said I have attention dis, des…” She looked to her mother in frustration.
“Attention Deficit Disorder,” Hannah supplied.
“That’s it. I don’t know what that means. I just know I get bored fast.”
“Have you had her tested for it?” Boomer asked Hannah.
“Sure did. The doctor said she’s perfectly normal and highly intelligent. That’s what her problem is. He also said she has a photographic memory. Show her something once and she never forgets it. Between that and her high IQ she’s constantly frustrated.”
“What did the school say?”
“Nothing. They ignored the letter from the doctor. I had to go in and fight to have her moved to a higher grade. They agreed on the understanding that if she disrupted the class or her grades dropped she’d be moved back. So far she’s doing fine but she’s still bored.”
“Have you checked into another school?”
“Oh yeah. If I had an extra thirty thousand dollars lying around I could put her in some really good schools that would meet her needs. The problem is I’m fresh out of money. So we make the best with what we have. I find used books and we study together at night. I tell her to go to school and behave, take the tests and just get through it. So far our little system works.”
Boomer smiled. “You’re a good mother, Hannah.”
“I’m not doing anything any other mother wouldn’t do for her kid. Nothing special about me. She’s the special one.”
“Yes she is.” He said giving Raya a little bear hug. “And so are you.”
A knock sounded at the door. Sam and Mike walked in.
“Did you get him all settled?” Boomer asked sarcastically.
“Sure did,” Sam replied ignoring his accusing tone.
“Good then the three of you,” Boomer signed, “can take him out for something to eat. I need to take a nap.” His gaze settled on Hannah and he gave her a little wink.
“Why do I get the feeling I’m being kicked out?” Mike asked.
“Because you are,” Sam told him. “We all are. Come on Raya let’s go get some of that pizza your mother promised us.”
Raya tapped Boomer on the shoulder. “Get better soon,” she told him and then winked.
“Hmm what’s that all about?” Sam signed and spoke.
“Never mind,” Boomer said with his hands and then gave Raya a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll see you later.”
Hannah motioned her daughter toward the door and waited as she hobbled on her crutches. Sam tilted her head to the side and gave Boomer a questionable look before turning and leaving the room behind Hannah.
“Mike, wait,” he signed. “Could you talk with Raya a little?”
&nb
sp; “Sure, why?”
“Hannah was telling me she’s bored in school, not challenged enough. She said they had her tested and she has a high IQ. The school won’t work with her and Hannah can’t afford to pay for private school.”
“That’s a tough situation,” Mike said and then rubbed his jaw.
Boomer could see the wheels turning in his brother’s head. He was already trying to figure out how to help them. “Just feel her out and see what you think.”
“I’ll do that.” Mike signed and then gave him a cocky smile. “Anything I should I know about?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know, you and Hannah.”
“Nothing to tell other than I think she’s the most beautiful woman on the planet and the more I talk with her the more I like her. If there’s more to tell later I’ll fill you in.”
“You’d better,” Mike told him and began to walk to the door. He stopped and turned back to his brother. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine, just weak and tired. Some food and rest and I’ll be good as new. Don’t worry about me, Mike.”
“I’m not the only one worried. Your friend Sam is and I spoke with Lowe and Underwood. You have good friends, Ben, you’re very lucky.”
“I know, little brother, I know.”
With that Mark turned and left the room. Finally Boomer was left alone to rest. He closed his eyes and pictured Hannah’s face. It was the last thing he saw before he drifted off into a deep sleep.
He awoke once when he smelled a hamburger. His mouth watered as he looked at the food tray that had been left in his room. It didn’t take him long to devour the burger and the applesauce. Once it was gone he drifted back into a peaceful sleep.
He dreamed a bright light was dancing around him, laughing and singing. It was warm and friendly giving him peace.
The road ahead is rocky, Benjamin. Keep firm and all will be fine.
Curious he reached out to touch it. What does that mean?
I will be there to guide you.
A shuffling noise brought him to just the surface of consciousness. He half-listened as his brain tried to drag him back into blackness. Again he heard the shuffling of feet across the floor. He fluttered his eye lids open and blinked a few times to clear away the blurriness. Sitting by his side, looking down at him with a curious stare was Hannah.
“Hi,” he croaked with a dry, scratchy throat.
“Hi.”
He noticed the odd stare didn’t waver and wondered if he’d been drooling in his sleep. To make sure, he swiped the back of his hand across his lips but they were dry. Did he look that bad, had he gone into a relapse or something he wondered.
“Is there something wrong?”
“No, not a thing.”
Still she continued to stare.
Boomer reached out to the small stand next to his bed and picked up a foam cup of water and sipped slowly. When his throat was sufficiently moistened he looked her straight in the eye.
“Is there something on my face? Did I grow another head? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I’m just wondering if it’s possible.”
“If what’s possible?”
“Could there actually be a man in this world as kind and caring as you are?”
“Okay, wanna let me in on what this is about?” What kind of things were Mike and Sam filling her with while they ate pizza?
“I learned a lot about you tonight.”
Yep, Mike and Sam had taken their opportunity to play match maker. “What did they tell you?” he asked suspiciously.
“That doesn’t matter,” Hannah said shaking her head and breaking the peculiar spell she was under.
“Uh, yeah it does. I think I deserve the right to tell my side of the story.”
Hannah tossed her head back and gave a deep throaty, husky laugh that made his groin tighten. Even when he was a young cadet in the military hanging around with all the groupies not one was able to make him hard with just a laugh.
“You make it sound like they told me terrible things about you,” she smiled. “I tried to drag some unflattering things out about you but it seems there just aren’t any.”
“That’s not true. They’re just trying to make the road easier for me.”
“I don’t think so. Your brother said you could be overbearing, stubborn and an all-around pain in the ass but generally your heart’s in the right place.”
He made a mental note to thank Mike.
“Not many young boys would take on the responsibility of a newly deaf sibling as easily as you did. Much less take the time to learn sign himself.”
“I think you’re wrong about that. I had to have some way to torment him. He couldn’t hear me so I had to have some way to call him mean nasty names. I think others do the same.”
“No, you’re wrong,” she said shaking her head in disbelief. “I think you’ve led a sheltered life in some ways. Out here in the real world people don’t care about each other that much. Everyone’s out for themselves. Raya’s own grandparents didn’t want to learn sign. I didn’t have the guts to force them to like you forced your father to.”
Boomer looked away. Mike had told her the whole story it seemed. “Yeah well, he was our father, he needed to be able to talk to Mike.” This conversation was making him uncomfortable. Desperate to change the conversation he looked around the room for Raya and found her sitting in the window again.
“Did Mike talk with her?” he asked nodding toward her.
“Yes he did at great length. You should have told me he was a teacher.”
“I didn’t want it to seem like I was butting in. I knew he’d be able to reach her in a way other teachers couldn’t. He’s good that way.”
“Yes he is. He’s very kind too. It must run in the family.”
“What?”
“Helping others, you just do it in different ways.”
“Yeah well…” He needed to take the conversation in a different direction again. He didn’t like this path. He wasn’t as great as she’d been led to believe. “How was the pizza?”
“It was fine. Raya and I don’t go out to eat much so it was treat for her. On the way back I stopped and got you something.”
She reached down on the floor and lifted a white plastic bag. When she pulled out the bag of cookies and a carton of orange juice he smiled while his mouth watered.
“Just what the doctor ordered.”
“Tell me is this something you do on a regular basis, eat cookies and orange juice?”
“Usually just late at night but I have a real craving for it at the moment.”
Hannah pulled three plastic cups from the bag and filled them with juice. Boomer tossed a crinkled piece of tissue at Raya to get her attention and motion her over. She limped to his bedside and hoisted herself up next to him.
“What did you have to eat tonight?” Hannah asked filling the cups.
“Hamburger and apple sauce.”
“Did you eat it all?”
“Every tasty bite and then went back to sleep.”
“How’s the wound?”
“It hurts but they’re giving me a nice little pain pill.” He handed Raya two cookies and then tweaked her nose. His stomach quivered when she gave him a very loving smile and giggle.
“That’s why you’re sleeping so much then, not because of the injury?”
He heard the deep concern in her voice and reached out, taking her free hand in his. “I’m fine, Hannah. Please don’t keep thinking this is your fault somehow. The wound didn’t have anything to do with Raya.”
“I know it didn’t,” she whispered looking down at his large, warm hand covering hers. “I’m just worried. You didn’t see yourself lying there on the ground looking so pale and weak.”
Boomer smiled. “Why Miss Sawyer I believe you’re actually concerned for my well-being. I’m flattered.”
Hannah snatched her hand away and busied herself putting the cookies and ju
ice on his nightstand.
Boomer watched as she tried not to let her emotions run rampant over her face. Her thick, red hair hung forward concealing most of it but he did manage to catch a few glimpses. The way she nipped her plump, pink bottom lip with her teeth was telling. She wanted to say something, respond to him in some way but was afraid. Her eyes crinkled at the edges like she was deep in thought.
He would give anything at that very moment to nip at her lip himself and smooth away her worry lines with his fingers. He knew it was too soon, she would probably jump up, grab Raya and run. No this woman needed to be seduced slowly and with care. Trust was an issue with her. She needed time and luckily for him he had the time. Instead of pushing her he turned to Raya and winked.
“Did you have fun tonight?” he asked while she crunched on her cookie.
Her hands were too full to respond so she simply smiled and nodded her head.
“What do you think of my brother Mike?”
Raya sat her cookie on her lap and handed her mother her cup. “He’s nice like you and smart. He say’s he knows a school where I would learn a lot more but I don’t think I want to change schools.”
Boomer thought for a second. “Would that have anything to do with the little boy you meet with up in the attic of the school?” Her mouth dropped open spilling mushed-up cookie crumbs onto her lap. He’d obviously brought something up that her mother didn’t know about. That thought was confirmed when Hannah gasped and glared at her daughter. He almost felt bad for the child.
“What little boy?” Hannah asked, her hands tipping over the juice cup propped in her lap, spilling ice cold orange juice all over Boomer’s crotch.
He jumped, startling Raya who hopped down from the bed and Hannah who once she realized what she’d done yanked the blanket off the bed reveling a barely covered Boomer. Raya giggled, Hannah stared slack-jawed and awed and Boomer snatched the blanket from her and quickly covered himself.
The three of them looked from one to the other not sure what to say or do until Raya burst into laughter and began signing.
“You should see your faces,” she said.
Boomer glanced at Hannah and began a slow chuckle. Her eyes were huge, her cheeks were pink and the expression on her face said she liked what she saw. The simple chuckle blossomed into a full-blown howl when she realized how she must look and tried to disguise it with disinterest only making it worse.
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